Mechanism for stretching and drying hides and leather



E. G. LOWE Nov. 18', 1930.

MECHANISM FOR'STRETCHING AND DRYING HIDES AND LEATHER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Nov. 16 192a 9 n 9 3 mm N 5 7 o 0 N m 6L T W VVG fi 1 L N J. a 5 w3 U w w fi /)N I w Y 6 Z M a C mw i/ m 7 W 2 6 a H m/ a w 4 4 4 w l G ue50 0 \I. L3. TI/ W e 0a 6 2W #3 a Nov. 18, 1930. E. e. LOWE MECHANISMFOR STRETCHING AND DRYING HIDES AND LEATHER Filed Nov. 16, 1928ZSheets-Sheet 2 V //v VENTOB. [EA/156 r 6. 1, 0M5.

147- TO EMS) Patented Not. 18,1930

f UN Eu-s s rAreur-iorrlclz ERNEST G. LOWE, or I-IARTEORE'ILLINOISMEoHANIsi/r "Eon STRET'CI-IVING' Ann nn me ninns *ANLD LE THERApplication filed. Rommel-1 ,1928} seriai ivo. $119,834. I

' My invention relates to the tanning indus frame, partly broken away.

Fig. 2 is a view of the outer frame shown in Fig. .1.

in Fig. 1. r

Fig. 5 is a side view of a holding member usually designated a toggle. j

Fig, 6 is a top plan view of a toggle. r Fig. 7 is a bottomplan view'ofa toggle.

Fig. 8 is a detail View along the line 88 inFig.5. m' Fig. 9 is avertical sectional view of the holding 'members attached to the frameshown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2.

During the process of tanninghides, it is necessary that the. hides bethoroughly stretched in the processof drying. This process hasheretofore consisted of the use of a large wooden boardofveryconsiderable weight on which the hide was stretched and tacked inplace with carpet tacks. Not infrequently, when'the hides began to dryand contract, the tacks pulled out. 40 When it is remembered that a hideof a very largeanimal may, when green, weigh from 100 to 200, .or 300pounds, it is obvious 1 p p w I q I 21,:1nourited in brackets 22 rigidlyattached that a very large and heavy board is required and that thehandling of the board when two hides are stretched on it is slow andlaborious work requiring at least two men to handle.

To reducethis onerous work and also reduce the time required in handlingthe hides,

I have produced, in my'preferred'method, a

mechanism whereby it isnever necessaryto Fig.1 is a front elevation ofthe'principal mechanism, showing a h1de1n place on a Fig. 3 is a cross'section'along the line 33 inanually' lift and carry the heavy boardsWhen the hides are-in placethereon. 5

My preferred method consists of a rigid and. strong outer frame 1supported on an overhead track 2 by suitable attaching irons 8 carryinga wheel 4 .rotatably mounted on an axle 5 so that the entire frame 1 canbe read-1 ily moved horizontally along the track 2.

The lower part of the frame 1 is held against lateral movement by meansof a projection 6 engaging agroove 7 in the floor boards. I

In order to prevent movement of the frame 1 longitudinally, door checks9.0fany suitable form are rigidly attached to the lower and. outer edgesofthe frame 1 so thatthe plunger 10 of thedoor'check 9 may bepresseddown and instantly released by the operator s.

.' Rotatably positioned within the main frame l is'an'in'ner frame '11,strong and substantially built, preferably of steel chan-' nelironand-reinforced by cross members-12 offiat bar metal. q I

The perforated sheet. metalmember 13 fills theenti respace within theinner frame 11-betweenthe reinforcing bars 12, and its marginal edgesare rigidly attached to the enclosing frame as'indicated in Fig. 3 a-t14. The sheet metal member 13 may be spot welded," riveted, or"otherwise securely attached tothe frame 11. I

" The outer frame 1 is preferably made of to the outer frame 1. i

When the buttons 23 are turned parallel with the frame 1, permittingrotation of the inner frame'll, theframe may then be raised or-loweredto any convenient height best suited to the menstretching the hidein'place, andof course, it can be rotated to a reverse position forstretching a hide on the opposite side of the frame.

During this opera-tion the door checks 9 are pressed rigidly against thefloor, and when the operation is completed, the door checks are releasedand the entire frame carrying two hides or sides of leather is pushedalong the track 2 out of the way, and each succeeding frame is likewisehandled without the strain and lifting that was necessary under the oldmethod, with the result that .not only much burdensome labor iseliminated, but'much time is saved.

In order to hold the frame steady in a horizontal position while thehides are being stretched thereon, I have provided aplu rality ofsuitable hooks 2 L pivotally attached tothe outer frame 1 at one end andadapted to hook into and hold the inner frame in adjusted positions.

As it is necessary thatthe hides be ther oughly stretched at everypoint, a special holding member, or toggle as it is known inthe trade,is necessary to facilitate the work. I have, therefore, designed aspecial toggle, shown in Fig. 5, which consists of a spring steel member25 looped in a distorted U-shape so that the ends when broughttogetherform the upper jaw 26 and lower jaw 27 of a pair of pincersadapted to grip the edge of the hide or side of leather. The spring ofthe metal normally holds the aws A cam 28 rotates aboutthe axis 29supported in the side members 30, which preferi ably are integral withthe body of the toggle.

, It-is obvious that when the cam 28 is turned down, the pincers areclosed in a mannerto firmly hold the hide or side of leather.

A hook 31 is slidably adjustable by the rack 32 cut integral with thebody of the toggle and the ratchet 33 normally held in ERNEST e. LOWE.

position by the spring 34, attached to the slidable member 35. When thetoggle is affixed to the edge of the hide, as best shown in Fig. 1, thehide is stretched as far as pos sible and the hook 31 inserted in one ofthe perforations 36; and in order to make the stretching of the hidemore uniform,the hook 31.is made longitudinally adjustable.

It is evident that my mechanism in addition to saving a great deal oftime in stretching the hides,.removes an enormous amount of heavy,disagreeable work and, generally facilitates the handling of the hidesor sides of leather during this stage. of the tanning process.

Having fully described my invention, what V I claim as new and usefuland desire to protest by Letters Patent is:

Mechanisms for stretching and drying hides and leather, comprising atransportable outer frame, a rotatable inner frame mounted within saidouter frame, tracks for transporting said frames, means fortransportably

